V Chapter 5

Themes:
1. Fate vs. Free Will
2. Role Models
3. Prison

Quotes

Fate vs, Free Will
1. "I partially blamed him for my being in military school, because it was his grandmother who'd first told my mother about Valley Forge" (P. 90).

• Here, Wes 1 is feeling resentful towards one of his peers at military school because his grandmother had told his mother about Valley Forge military school. Wes 1 believed it was his peer's fault for why he was in military school.
• This relates to the theme of fate vs. free will because Wes 1 did not choose to go to military school. His mother forced him to go there.
• Because Wes did not choose to go to military school, his fate was determined for him by his mother, rather than by his own free will.
• It was also fate that his mother found out about the military school through the boy's grandmother. Some how, his mother stumbled upon this woman, who would then encourage Wes's mom to send him to that school.
• It was fate that brought Wes 1 to Valley Forge military school, because his mother happened to talk to someone who highly recommended the school, and he was then forced to go there.

2. "Wes chased after him. As they ran, he and his friend pointed their weapons in Ray's direction and began taking shots" (P. 104). 

• In this part of the story, Wes 2 is running after a man that had just beat him up. This man was most likely the boyfriend of the girl that he saw leaving Wes's house, which is why he beat Wes up. Now, Wes and his friend are running after this man and trying to kill him for revenge.
• This situation is a case of free will because Wes 2 did not have to retaliate against the man who beat him up. 
• Wes 2 by no means, was forced to seek revenge on this man, or end up killing him. Wes chose to retaliate and try to hurt this man. Consequently, Wes ends up getting arrested and could be in serious trouble.
• Wes 2's choice to try and kill the man who beat him up was an instance of free will because he was not forced to kill him and now he may end up in jail for a very long time.

Role Models

3. "When she saw Captain Hill on the day she went to the campus to drop me off, she asked him to keep an eye out for me. That night on the phone, she reminded him" (P. 97).

• At this point in the book, Wes 1 had just attempted to run away from military school, but failed to do so and returned to school late at night and called his mom in Colonel Batt's office. In the room, there was a man who's presence dominated the room. He was a tall, black and still seemed to be a teenager but his demeanor was quite serious. This man's name was Captain Hill and We's mother told him to look after Wes if at military school.
• At the end of the chapter, we learn that this man wished to talk to Wes after he had a conversation with his mom the night before.
• This ties into the theme of role models because it is highly likely that Captain Hill will be looking out for Wes 1 more and will end up being a great role model for him. 
• Captain Hill's discipline and leadership makes him a respected person at the military school, and he is probably the type of person Wes 1 could learn a lot from.
• I predict that Captain Hill will have a strong influence of Wes during his years at military school and will end up being a good role model for him.

4. "Tony's word rang through his mind. Send a message" (P.104).

• This quote is talking about how Wes 2 was so angry after he got beat up, that he got his gun and decided to teach his attacker a lesson. Before pursuing his attacker, Wes thought of his older brother Tony's advice to "send a message".
• This relates to the theme of role models because Wes 2's role model has always been his older brother, Tony. He has always looked up to Tony and wanted to be just like him. Most of the things Tony said to him, he took to heart and would try to listen to.
• Before chasing down his attacker, his mind immediately went to the words that Tony had once said about sending a message. Tony had told him that if someone ever tried to mess with him, he should fight back and send a message.
• Although we cannot blame Wes 2's retaliation on his attacker on Tony, the reader can see that Wes looked up to someone he thought would have approved of him committing this kind of retaliation.
• Wes 2's role model was his older brother Tony. Tony probably was not a good role model for him, considering some of the advice he gave Wes and some of the decisions that he had made in the past.
• Wes 2 not having a somewhat bad role model like Tony or lacking a good role model, might be what sets him apart from Wes 1 and following Tony's advice may have gotten him into some serious trouble.

Prison

5. "He was escorted downstairs by three police officers, led to the back of their car, and shoved in" (P. 106).

• Here, Wes 2 had just been arrested, after either he or his friend shot the man who beat him up.
• This relates to the theme of prison, because Wes is on his way to jail and if he is found guilty of shooting this man or killing him, he could find himself in prison for a very long time.
• This is not the first time Wes 2 had been arrested. He was also arrested when he was boy for almost stabbing a boy who beat him up. These situations are oddly similar because both times, Wes was arrested for retaliating against someone who beat him up and he felt like retaliation was the answer as he remembered his brother's advice to "send a message".
• Wes 2 was able to get out of prison the first time because he had not actually stabbed the boy, but now he might face serious jail time if he did indeed kill the man who beat him up.

The Other Wes Moore Sonnets

Wes 1 Sonnet 

Lived a black boy of Jamaican descent once named Wes Moore.

Grew up in the Bronx didst he.

Said and did naïve things as a boy and grew up somewhat poor.

Prithee success his mother didst for he.

Loved him, his mother didst so.

Had a strong relationship and said kind things to each other didst they.

Tholed, his mother didst, when the boy she once knew started to go.

Oh Wes Moore, thou shalt thank her some day.

Attended a school for rich white youth,

Where anon, he became lost.

Failing so utterly in school was he, that erelong he felt ruth.

Swinked his mother didst, and made sacrifices, to which he didst not know the cost.

Maugre thine struggles in the past,

Thou wouldst not finish last.

Wes 2 Sonnet 

Lived another black boy, tall for his age named Wes Moore.

So similar to the first in background,

He was also somewhat poor, though he lived in Baltimore.

Worked hard his mother didst, to help him, but made he his life Hell- bound.

Said bold things when thou was a child.

Betimes thou found thyself in in trouble.

The poor decisions made thou piled.

Thy mother’s teen didst double.

Swinked didst thou brother to steer you away,

From a path that wouldst damage thou forever.

Tholed did thy mother as she was losing thou everyday.

Worked adamantly didst she, but thou wouldst not pull thyself together.

Made mistakes didst he, in the past that would prove to cost

As tother Wes Moore’s life was lost.

Archaic Words:

1. Thole- to endure; to suffer

2. Anon- at once; immediately

3. Erelong- before long; soon

4. Ruth- pity; remorse; sorrow

5. Swink- to toil; to labor 

6. Maugre- in spite of

7. Betimes- in short time; speedily

8. Tother- the other